Books Like Wednesday: Gothic, Darkly Funny Reads for Fans of the Show
Waiting for Wednesday Season 3? These gothic school mysteries and darkly funny novels, from Shirley Jackson to Naomi Novik, should fill the gap until 2027.
Among the books like Wednesday, read A Deadly Education for the deadpan heroine at a deadly school, Truly Devious for the boarding-school mystery, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle for pure Wednesday Addams energy.
Explore them all here.
Is there a Wednesday Season 3 release date?
Not yet. Netflix hasn't announced a date or released a trailer. Filming began on 16 February 2026 in Ireland, moved to Paris in April and wrapped around 30 September. Eva Green joins as Aunt Ophelia and Winona Ryder as Tabitha.
Netflix left Season 3 off its 2026 slate, so 2027 is the safe bet. So that leaves us with some reading time.
Gothic books like Wednesday
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
El attends the Scholomance, a magic school that actively tries to eat its students. She's prickly, sarcastic and convinced she's destined for darkness. Nevermore with more monsters. The first chapters are heavy on info-dumps, but stick with it.
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
A true-crime-obsessed teen arrives at Ellingham Academy to solve a decades-old kidnapping. It has a strong atmosphere, but be warned: the mystery runs over three books.
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
A teenage witch is sent to a reform school for supernatural misfits. It's the closest match to the show's set-up, and it's lighter and snarkier than the rest of this list.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Yale's secret societies, ghosts and a damaged heroine. This one is adult and much darker, so it's not for younger fans.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
It isn't gothic, but Pip's relentless amateur sleuthing is very Wednesday. A great pick for readers who love a small-town secret.
Darkly funny reads
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Merricat Blackwood is Wednesday's spiritual older sister: odd, ritualistic and quietly menacing. It's short, unsettling and brilliant. If you only read one book from this list, read this one.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Flavia de Luce is eleven, adores poisons and solves murders in a crumbling English manor. It's funnier than you'd expect.
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Gloomy orphans, a theatrical villain and a narrator who begs you to stop reading. The later books drag a little, but the first few are perfect Halloween comfort reads.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
A bored girl, a door and an Other Mother with buttons for eyes. Tim Burton fans, this is your aesthetic. You can read it in one sitting.
Eat, Drink, and Be Scary by Olivia Jaymes
Set in the charmingly paranormal town of Ravenmist, it’s a quirky, spooky mystery with a dash of humour. If you’re into small-town mysteries with a mix of supernatural vibes, this one might just be the perfect autumn read.
These books turn up in subscription catalogues from time to time. Availability differs between the countries, so check the listing before you buy. My guide to Kindle Unlimited and Kindle+ explains how it works. For more ideas, see my 2026 book recommendations.
Which book would you add to this list? Tell me in the comments, and find more frank recommendations on Book Blabber. Happy Halloween, and happy reading!
FAQs about books like Wednesday
Q. What books are like Wednesday on Netflix?
My top picks are A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins and We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. Each has a sharp, slightly morbid heroine, a gothic or boarding-school setting and a mystery or deadpan humour that fans of the show will enjoy.
Q. When is Wednesday Season 3 coming out?
As of 31 October 2026, Netflix hasn't announced a release date. Filming wrapped around 30 September 2026, and Netflix left the show off its 2026 slate, so 2027 is expected.
Q. Is there a Wednesday Season 3 trailer?
Not yet. Netflix has only shared a first-look image from Paris and a wrap photo. A teaser usually comes closer to the release date announcement, which could arrive in late 2026 or early 2027 if Netflix follows the same pattern as Season 2.
Q. Which book is most like Wednesday Addams herself?
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. Its narrator, Merricat Blackwood, is odd, ritualistic, fiercely loyal to her sister and quietly menacing, which makes her the closest literary match to Wednesday's personality. It's short, so you can finish it in an evening.
Q. Are these books suitable for teenagers?
Most are. Hex Hall, Truly Devious, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Coraline and A Series of Unfortunate Events suit teens and younger readers. A Deadly Education is fine for older teens. Ninth House is an adult novel with disturbing content, so I wouldn't give it to younger fans.
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